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Saving for college: Tips on 529 plans, scholarships

By John Waggoner, USA TODAY

In the old days, parents celebrated the arrival of a new child by roasting a mastodon. Today, they start a college savings account.

Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

David Young greets his two sons Mark Young, 9, left, and Arthur Young, 12, as the boys return home from school in Vienna, Va. The Young family relocated last year from Madrid, Spain, and are saving to send the boys to college.

David Young greets his two sons Mark Young, 9, left, and Arthur Young, 12, as the boys return home from school in Vienna, Va. The Young family relocated last year from Madrid, Spain, and are saving to send the boys to college.

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And no wonder: A year of tuition and fees at the average four-year private college cost $28,500 in the 2011-2012 school year, says the College Board. "Back when I went to college, people could pay their own way, but now it's insanely expensive," says Joy Thompson, 42, of Medway, Mass.

So how do you get your child through college? USA TODAY asked readers such as Thompson for tips — and got some great ones.

"It's obvious that you just have to save," Thompson says. The best way: an automatic investment in a 529 plan. The basics: A 529 plan lets you sock away cash tax-deferred until your child goes to college. While your state may offer tax breaks for investing in its plan, you can invest in any 529 plan in the country and use the proceeds for costs at qualified colleges in any state.

Most states have two options. The first is a prepaid 529 plan, which lets you buy tuition at today's prices. You can apply your savings to out-of-state or private schools.

The second is a savings plan. You get a choice of several investment options, much like in a 401(k) savings plan. If you want advice — and are willing to pay for it — you can invest via a financial adviser. If you're a do-it-yourselfer, you can invest directly in your state's 529 plan. You can find plenty of information about 529 plans at www.savingforcollege.com.

And, if you have a choice in the matter, live in the state that offers the best colleges at the best price. When David Young of Vienna, Va., moved his family from Spain, he chose living in Virginia over Maryland in part because of Virginia's colleges. "Basically, the better state universities in Virginia rated higher than the ones in Maryland," he says. "And there were a broader spectrum of universities in Virginia."

KEY QUESTIONS PROVIDED BY:

Ask your financial advisor for advice on these questions:

1) How do I calculate how much college will cost?
2) Should I consider borrowing a portion of the expenses?
3) What's the right balance between education and retirement savings?

Whichever option you choose, have the money automatically taken from your bank account or paycheck. It's easier to save if you don't have to write a check every month.

Don't be too aggressive.

In theory, the more time you have, the more heavily invested in stocks you should be, because stocks often produce higher long-term results. But the long term flies by quickly, and as your child grows older, you should ratchet back on the risk.

For example, $100 a month invested in the Vanguard 500 Index fund starting in 1994 would be worth $35,973 come 18 years later, according to Morningstar, which tracks the funds. The same amount invested in Vanguard Wellesley Income, a conservative mix of stocks and bonds, would have become $46,100.

History rarely repeats itself: Stocks may well outperform hybrid funds such as Wellesley in the next 18 years. Rather than reach for more risk, consider investing more. Increasing your contribution by just 3% a year would boost your balance at the Vanguard 500 Index fund to $44,453 and your Wellesley income account to $56,436.

Make your children study.

If you go to New York and ask how to get to Carnegie Hall, someone will likely say, "Practice." Want to get scholarship money? Get good grades.

Ed Kaiser's two sons made it through advanced degrees with relatively little debt. One son, a lawyer, graduated with $12,000 in debt. The other, a doctor, will come out of medical school with $30,000 in debt. Both got National Merit Scholarships, targeted at the nation's best students. "I cannot stress enough the importance of studying hard and getting good grades," says Kaiser, a Hatfield, Mass., resident.

CHANGING LIFE STAGES

A look at how personal financial planning is changing in light of social and demographic shifts.

Want to know one reason kids should get good grades in English? So they can write the perfect essay explaining why they deserve a scholarship.

Donna Hogan's husband left when her youngest of six children was 2 years old. All have made it though college. "My children did not have the silver spoon much of the time, but the college aid was a godsend for us," says Hogan, 75, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. "We appreciated it."

Have your child start the scholarship search at the guidance counselor's office. Think a $250 scholarship from the local Rotary club won't help? Have you walked into a college bookstore lately?

Then expand the search nationally. Two good places to start, and both are free: www.fastweb.com and www.collegeboard.com.

Don't snub community college.

Your children will spend the first year or so at almost any college taking basic classes, such as English, math and foreign languages. And many times, your community college can handle those classes extremely well at a much lower price than you'd pay at a four-year college.

Then have the child finish the last two years at a four-year college. "At the end of the four-year degree, the name of that college is what goes on their diploma, and no one will know or care that the first two years were completed at a community college," says Jim Yeates, 58, of Montgomery Village, Md.

Work.

"I would suggest that if parents are having a hard time saving for college, to instill in their children the idea that working is the best way to get ahead in life," says Hogan.

When should they start? "Encourage your kids to work part time while in high school to learn the value of a dollar so they won't waste so many of them while in college," says Brent Gordy, 63, of Topeka. With tuition at current levels, it's tough for kids to work their way through college. But every little bit helps.

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